LEARNING OBEDIENCE – I

 “Though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered – Hebrews 5:8.”

 Obedience is not automatic; it is must learnt. There is a way to learning it. It is for the sons to learn as the Father teaches. Before we proceed into the teaching proper for today, it is necessary to note that for Jesus to have learnt obedience, there must be something to pay due diligence.

Naturally, we were all disobedient. By fall and according to the nature of the old man in us, we are prone to easily disobey and break rules. In fact, this is the reason all men excluding those who are in Christ are called or known as “children of disobedience.” This tells us that another mind, man and power is in control of the heart and mind of man different from the will, power and Spirit of the Father.

It seems the only thing that does not necessary need learning is disobedience, evil deeds and wicked acts. They seem to be inbuilt or inborn. Even at that people still learn to do them only that the degree required to learning to do evil is lower compared to doing good.

Beloved, everything good and pleasant to God must be learnt. First, to fear the Lord, we must learn that too. The fear of the Lord is gradually being eroded from our communities and families now. The reasons children are not fearing their parents is traceable to parents not fearing the Lord. Therefore, let us learn to fear the Lord – 

“…the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children – Deut. 4:10.”

 What else are we to learn? We are to learn to do well. Wellness in this case entails seeking judgment, relieving the oppressed, defending the fatherless and pleading for the widows. These do not come naturally to man. To do well, we must learn – 

“Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow – Is. 1:17.” 

Much more than what we have highlighted, we must consider our Lord Jesus Christ. If there is ever a man that who does not need to learn obedience, he must be Jesus Christ. Experientially, He has never known what it means to disobey. As it is written – 

“Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.”

 He is the delight of the Father. in our previous teaching, we read about how the Father declared Him as “His Beloved Son in whom He is well-pleased.” What could have warranted this statement? It is because He obeyed.

 But why must He learn obedience? While He was with the Father and one together with Him, His nature was a pure and of undiluted obedience. Why so? He is one with the Father. However, having taken upon the nature of man and the infirmity of the flesh, He had to learn obedience. The nature of flesh is different from that of the Spirit. God is a Spirit. The flesh cannot please the Spirit. Never! How then are we to put this situation under control? It must be by the Spirit. So, there is what we call the Spirit of obedience. This is the spirit by which the mortal body is quickened. For as long as we are in this flesh and bodily tabernacle, we must learn obedience.

 So, for those who are able to confess that 

“this is the love of God that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous – 1Jn. 5:3”

 , they are people in whom the Spirit of obedience dwells to teach them the way of the Lord. Who else can take this honour upon Himself other than Christ Jesus who called us to come learn of Him because He is lowly and meek in heart? No one would want to learn from the proud and haughty. The more reason we must come to Jesus to teach us obedience. He knows best on how to make us please the Father. Holy Father, teach us the way of obedience in Jesus’ Name.

 OBEDIENCE GREETINGS